Questions to the President of Korea from a Japanese Citizens’ GroupTO:

His Excellency Mr. Lee Myung-bak, President of the Republic of Korea
His Excellency Mr. Kwon Chul-hyun, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea

FROM:

Fujioka Nobukatsu
Chairman, Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform

SUBJECT:The Spokesman’s Statement in Protest Against Japanese Government
Authorization of a Middle School History Textbook

DATE:

June 22nd, 2009

We would like to express our appreciation for Your Excellencies’ efforts toward
strengthening the friendship between Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Our organization, the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform, is a group of private
citizens dedicated to reforming Japan’s history textbooks. Since its establishment in 1997, wehave been working diligently toward achieving the goals set forth in our Charter.
In keeping with that Charter, we produced a history textbook for middle school students,
which was published by Jiyusha. In April 2008, we submitted the textbook to the Ministry ofEducation, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for screening; the Ministry granted
authorization on April 9 of the current year.
As soon as the announcement that the textbook had passed the screening process appeared,
the Republic of Korea issued a “Spokesman’s Statement in Protest Against JapaneseGovernment Authorization of a Middle School History Textbook,” and lodged a protest withJapan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Since the only middle school history textbook to clear the screening process this year was theone published by Jiyusha, it is patently obvious that our textbook was the target of the“Spokesman’s Statement.”
The subject of the “Spokesman’s Statement” was broached by Representative Hase Hiroshi(Liberal Democratic Party) at a meeting of the House of Representatives’ Committee onEducation and Science held on June 10. Subsequently, the Japanese Society for History
Textbook Reform made a careful examination of the statement, and arrived at the following
conclusions: the charges leveled therein are absolutely unreasonable and, furthermore,constitute interference in the domestic affairs of our nation.
Accordingly, we respectfully request Your Excellencies’ responses to the following questions,in writing, on or before June 30, 2009.

1.

The “Spokesman’s Statement” was issued on April 9, the same day that the results of thescreening process were announced. The screening process is conducted in secret, and it isimpossible for anyone outside the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andTechnology to obtain advance information about textbooks that have received authorization.
Therefore, we must assume that the Republic of Korea issued the “Spokesman’s Statement”
on the basis of advance notice of the results of the screening process, or without the benefitof any information whatsoever. Kindly advise us which of these hypotheses is accurate; wewould also appreciate knowing about the course of events leading up to the statement’sissuance.

2.

The “Spokesman’s Statement” refers to “a history textbook based on a misguided historicalperception — one that, even today, both rationalizes and glorifies past errors.” Pleaseacquaint us, specifically, with the portions of A New History Textbook: Revised Edition,
published by Jiyusha, to which this description applies.

3.

The statement also mentions “some distorted history textbooks.” Kindly inform us, again
specifically, which portions of our textbook this language is intended to describe.

4.

It is our sincere hope that Japanese-Korean relations will develop into a strong friendship.
However, when one party to a friendship continues to interfere in the domestic affairs of theother, as the government of the Republic of Korea has been doing, the friendship cannot
deepen. We would appreciate knowing Your Excellencies’ opinions on this subject.

<Attachment>
PRESS RELEASE
TITLE:

Spokesman’s Statement in Protest Against Japanese Government Authorization of aMiddle School History Textbook

1.

The government of the Republic of Korea objects strongly to the fact that a history textbook
based on a misguided historical perception — one that, even today, both rationalizes andglorifies past errors — passed the Japanese government’s textbook-screening process on
April 9 (Thursday), and requests corrective action.

2.

The government of the Republic of Korea is concerned that the young people of Japan, whoshould be striving toward a future-oriented relationship of friendship and cooperation
between our two nations, may acquire an erroneous perception of history from some
distorted history textbooks, such as that previously mentioned.

3.

The government of the Republic of Korea, again, calls attention to the fact that textbooks
must not distort history, because an accurate perception of history forms the foundation of afuture-oriented partnership with the Republic of Korea.

Contact: Japan Section

Release date: April 9 (Thursday)